The area below a bed frame is normally unutilizable space. Manufacturers have attempted to utilize this space by providing drawer assemblies which are either independent or attached directly to a bed frame. For example, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 726,393 to Barcalo, issued Apr. 28, 1903; 152,357 to French, issued June 23, 1974; 1,053,640 to Philips, issued Feb. 18, 1913; and 3,745,596 to Copeland, issued July 17, 1973 are examples of bed frame and storage compartment combinations. In each of the aforementioned assemblies, all of the weight placed on the storage drawers or frames of the units are transferred completely to the bed frames. Therefore, the limiting factor in supporting the stored weight is the bed frame structure.
The British Patent No. 19,310, issued Oct. 3, 1891, discloses a drawer supported below a bed by a support frame. The ends of the frame are connected to the bed frame. However, the British patent does not disclose weight transfer means for transferring weight applied to the drawer directly from the drawer support to a support surface.
The British Patent No. 4438, issued Mar. 22, 1916, discloses a bed frame with drawers and a drawer support frame below the bed. The drawer support frame is a boxing having two parallel portions and an intermediate bed portion. The drawer support frame parallel portions are supported by the bed frame above the floor. Two subsidiary legs assist in supporting the frame-work carrying the ends of the tray supported within the frame.
These prior art patents do not address the concerns of present day manufactures. It is presently desirable to maximize utilizable space below beds, provide ease of storage, provide ease of attachment of the unit, provide ability of the unit to contain significant amount of stored articles, and increase the weight storage capability of the storage units. At the same time, it is desirable to provide a simplified unit which is easy to assembly and attach to a bed frame. The aforementioned patents do not address these problems, nor do they provide means for transferring weight placed within the drawers directly to the support surface.
Applicant has disclosed an under bed storage unit including weight transfer means for transferring weight directly from the support frame to the support surface in the copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 944,016, filed Dec. 22, 1986 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Applicant herein provides an improved assembly including fewer parts, the assembly being much simpler to construct and attach to a bed frame. The assembly further provides a novel weight transfer means.